"Sounds of the Dutar" Festival to Host Art Exhibition Dedicated to Akhal-Teke Horses in Moscow
On November 1, 2026—the day of the grand gala concert marking the 10th anniversary of the Nury Halmamedov "Sounds of the Dutar" Moscow International Arts Festival—an art exhibition titled "Akhal-Teke: Winged Steeds" will open at the Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery (19 Prechistenka Street, Moscow). The exhibition will feature paintings and graphic works by Russian and Turkmen artists dedicated to the Akhal-Teke horse—a national symbol of Turkmenistan and one of the most ancient and poetic images of the East.
The Akhal-Teke is more than just a breed; it is a living legend where stately grace, endurance, and a thousand-year history intertwine. In ancient China, they were known as "heavenly horses," believed capable of carrying riders to the "land of immortality." Akhal-Teke horses also left a significant mark on Russian history. On June 24, 1945, Marshal Georgy Zhukov reviewed the historic Victory Parade mounted on an Akhal-Teke steed; the image of the commander on this majestic horse has gone down in history as one of the most recognizable symbols of the Great Victory.
In 1935, Akhal-Teke horses undertook an unprecedented endurance ride, covering 4,300 kilometers from Ashgabat to Moscow in 84 days and demonstrating incredible stamina. The breed also distinguished itself through elite sporting achievements: the horse Absent, ridden by Sergei Filatov, won the Olympic gold medal in dressage at the 1960 Rome Games.
The image of the winged steed takes on special significance in the context of 2026, a year celebrated under the motto "Independent Neutral Turkmenistan — Home of Purposeful Winged Horses"—marking both the 35th anniversary of the country's independence and the Year of the Horse in the Eastern calendar. The art of breeding Akhal-Teke horses and the traditions associated with their ornamentation have been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
For the festival named after composer Nury Halmammedov, this imagery is both organic and profound. Throughout his life, the composer cherished images of his native land—its vast expanses, steppe winds, and ancient legends—within his heart. His music seems to paint picturesque landscapes, while artists give these melodies a visible form.
The conceptual compass for the entire "Sounds of the Dutar" exhibition program was provided by Nury Halmammedov’s own words: "If I hadn't become a composer, I would have become an artist." These words defined the direction taken by the organizers, who are creating not merely a display of paintings to accompany concerts, but a living space where the arts merge.
In his welcoming address to the organizing committee and participants of the anniversary festival, Charymurat Yazmuradov, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan, emphasized the symbolism of this connection: Nury Halmammedov sincerely loved painting and maintained friendships with artists; his talent was duly recognized by the era's prominent figures, and the maestro's creative legacy has become a powerful source of inspiration for painters, who translate his musical ideas into timeless imagery.
As the head of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan noted, Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli—People's Artist of the USSR and Russia and President of the Russian Academy of Arts—played a pivotal role in the development of this format. From the very beginning, he supported the initiative of the festival’s art director, composer Mamed Guseynov, by making the halls of the Russian Academy of Arts’ Museum and Exhibition Complex available for festival projects—a gesture symbolizing that true art knows no boundaries.
Nine Years of Exhibition History
Over the years, the festival’s exhibition projects have become a vivid chronicle of creative dialogue:
The 2nd Festival (2016). The project’s exhibition history began with the show "Legends of Ancient Merv: Evolution of the Image," featuring 60 paintings and graphic works by ten masters of the Mary school (Ata Akyev, Allaberdy Amangeldyev, Bazargeldy Kurbangeldyev, Kurbangeldy Kurbanov, Annadurdy Muradaliyev, Annageldy Meretgeldyev, Kossekmurad Nurmuradov, Ainagozel Nuryeva, Allaberdy Ovezdurdyev, and Chary Khummedov). The connection to Khalmamedov was deeply personal: the composer had grown up in an orphanage in Bayramali, right next to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ancient Merv, and the site's historical aura had nourished his music. The opening event at the Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery also featured the presentation of the book-album Pictorial Legends of Ancient Merv.
The 3rd Festival (2017). The miniature exhibition "From the World of Eastern Fairy Tales" marked the 95th anniversary of Izzat Klychev, a People's Artist of the USSR. The painter and the composer shared a long-standing friendship; in 1979, Klychev designed the cover for Khalmamedov’s collection of romances titled Üç desse ("Three Vocal Cycles"), illustrating how Eastern poetry and graphic art flow from sound into line and color.
The 4th Festival (2018). The exhibition "Colorful Life" introduced audiences to the translucent watercolors of Yevgeny Mikhelson—an artist, director, and Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan, often referred to as the "father of Turkmen animation." Khalmamedov composed the music for eight of his animated films, including Homeless Kongurdzha, Friends, and Commotion; their final collaboration was the concert film Inspiration (1981).
The 5th Festival (2019). An exhibition marking the 85th anniversary of Vladimir Artykov—an Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts and an Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan—highlighted a legendary creative collaboration in cinema. At the Turkmenfilm studio, a celebrated trio—director Alty Karliev, composer Nury Halmamedov, and artist Vladimir Artykov—came together to create the film Magtymguly.
The 6th Festival (2021). Vladimir Igaev’s solo exhibition, Friends and Students, showcased the living connection between generations. Works by the master—who enjoyed a distinguished career and participated in over 70 exhibitions worldwide—were displayed alongside pieces by his students and like-minded peers.
The 7th Festival (2023). Dariy Asadullaev’s graphic series To the Shores of the Grey Caspian—inspired by Khalmamedov’s works Kechpelek and Lullaby—transported viewers to the atmosphere of coastal Cheleken. Soft pastel tones conveyed the sound of the sea and the light of sunset, echoing the composer’s musical nuances.
The 8th Festival (2024). The joint project Reflection, held at the Center for Oriental Literature of the Russian State Library (RSL), brought together winners of the illustration contest dedicated to Eastern poetry and the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Pyragy. The exhibition showcased paintings, graphic art, and sculptures by the contest winners and jury members (Klychmurad Yarmamedov, Dariy Asadullaev, and Vladimir Igaev) alongside rare editions of the poet’s works from the library’s collections.
The 9th Festival (2025). The Palette of Peace exhibition at the RSL was timed to the International Year of Peace and Trust, while the festival’s gala concert at the Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery served as a tribute to the memory of Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli—a loyal friend and patron of the project since its inception.
In his address, Charymurat Yazmuradov, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan, highly commended the organizing committee’s long-standing efforts: "The 'Sounds of the Dutar' festival convincingly demonstrates how diverse art forms—music and painting, poetry and scholarship, tradition and modernity—merge into a unified melody of cultural harmony. Your work in supporting young talent, hosting competitions and academic conferences, and publishing sheet music collections represents an invaluable contribution to the preservation of global heritage."
Today, Turkmenistan’s talented artists are worthily upholding the traditions of the national school of painting while actively participating in international exhibitions. In their canvases, they visualize the rhythmic melodies of Nury Halmammedov’s enchanting music, transforming fleeting sounds into timeless visual imagery.
A Milestone Anniversary
The tenth festival, held from October 26 to November 1, 2026, marks the culmination of a decade and opens a new chapter. The exhibition "Akhal-Teke: Winged Steeds" serves as a space where music and painting, tradition and modernity, and Turkmenistan and Russia converge once again. As the sound of the dutar intertwines within the gallery halls with the dynamic canvases where graceful Akhal-Teke horses come to life, it becomes clear: the language of beauty needs no translation.
